Alcohol separator

Abstract

An alcohol reclaiming apparatus for use in an absorption refrigeration system having a separator operatively connected to the system condenser for removing alcohol from liquid refrigerant prior to passing the refrigerant from the condenser section to the evaporator section of the system. The separated alcohol is delivered directly into the system absorber, thereby bypassing the evaporator, to promote continuous circulation of alcohol through the system whereby the performance of the system is maintained at a relatively high level.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for separating alcohol from a denser refrigerant discharged from the condenser section of an absorption refrigeration system including a tank operatively connected to the condenser section of the system to receive therein a flow of condensed refrigerant and alcohol leaving the condenser, the volume of the tank being sufficiently large in relation to volume rate of flow of the entering condensate to produce a quiescent flow of fluids within the tank whereby the less dense alcohol floats to the surface of the more dense refrigerant collected therein,   a substantially enclosed trap secured in fluidtight relation with the bottom wall of said tank and extending upwardly within said tank in a generally vertical direction, the trap having an opening in one side wall thereof adjacent to the bottom wall of said tank whereby refrigerant contained within the tank passes freely into said trap,   a refrigerant discharge passing out of said trap at a first elevation and being arranged to pass refrigerant out of said tank when the level of refrigerant exceeds said first elevation whereby the level of refrigerant in the trap and the tank is maintained at a constant level, and   an alcohol discharge passing out of said tank at a second elevation that is higher than said first elevation and being arranged to carry alcohol floating upon the surface of the refrigerant out of said tank when the level of alcohol exceeds said second elevation thereby causing the alcohol to be separated from the refrigerant.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 having further means for maintaining said tank and said trap at substantially the same pressure whereby the surface of the refrigerant within the trap is equal to that of the refrigerant in said tank. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2 further including means for maintaining the pressure in said tank and trap at a constant level. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for maintaining a constant pressure level in the tank and the trap comprises a line extending between the top of the tank and the condenser section whereby the tank and the trap are maintained at condenser pressure. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fluid condensate discharged from the condenser enter the tank at an elevation higher than the opening in the side wall of said trap and below the elevation of the refrigerant discharge. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said refrigerant discharge comprises a line passing through the bottom wall of said tank and extending upwardly within said trap, said line being terminated by an opening positioned at said first elevation. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the refrigerant passing out of said refrigerant discharge is delivered into the evaporator section of the refrigeration system, and the alcohol passing out of said alcohol discharge is delivered into the absorber section of the refrigeration system.